Colleges with high acceptance rates whose graduates earn the most

College admissions time is an annual crossroads moment for high school seniors. There are still many eager students entering the higher education system, despite turmoil in the job market as AI replaces entry-level jobs and an uncertain economy.

Compared to last year, the Common Application estimates that more students will apply for colleges and cast a wider net by applying to more schools. It's also predicted that there will be more applicants from low-income neighborhoods.

Higher education in the U.S. has been under the microscope in recent years, with vacillating plans for federal student loan forgiveness and the federal government's divestment in research, in addition to more young people choosing to work in trade professions for job security and lower tuition payments.

But for students who are still applying, what do they want from their school? The long-held desire to get into a "good school" was often judged by its low acceptance rate. Though those rates are misleading, they neglect the fact that some schools may have a lower proportion of qualified applicants. The credibility of major degree programs, class sizes, and location are also often main considerations.

Students now may be wise to consider colleges' return on investment, indicating the average salary after graduation. Which schools fall into the sweet spot of high ROI and are not overly competitive?

To find out, Stacker analyzed Department of Education data to see which colleges have the highest acceptance rates and produce the highest-earning graduates.

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#50. Bellin College

- Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $66,343
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $74,427
- Acceptance rate: 100%

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#49. University of Detroit Mercy

- Location: Detroit
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $66,591
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $74,074
- Acceptance rate: 80%

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#48. Nova Southeastern University

- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $66,811
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $71,403
- Acceptance rate: 73%

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#47. Dominican University of California

- Location: San Rafael, California
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $66,880
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $92,526
- Acceptance rate: 96%

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#46. Southern Methodist University

- Location: Dallas
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,114
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $86,158
- Acceptance rate: 61%

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#45. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

- Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,135
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,839
- Acceptance rate: 62%

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#44. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

- Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,135
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,839
- Acceptance rate: 66%

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#43. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott

- Location: Prescott, Arizona
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,135
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,839
- Acceptance rate: 75%

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#42. University of Saint Joseph

- Location: West Hartford, Connecticut
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,243
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $68,425
- Acceptance rate: 80%

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#41. Holy Family University

- Location: Philadelphia
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,466
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $78,040
- Acceptance rate: 74%

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#40. New Jersey Institute of Technology

- Location: Newark, New Jersey
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,467
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,013
- Acceptance rate: 67%

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#39. Colorado State University Global

- Location: Aurora, Colorado
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $67,918
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $81,588
- Acceptance rate: 93%

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#38. University of Maine at Fort Kent

- Location: Fort Kent, Maine
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $68,245
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $60,664
- Acceptance rate: 99%

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#37. Wagner College

- Location: Staten Island, New York
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $68,466
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $80,303
- Acceptance rate: 83%

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#36. Baptist Health Sciences University

- Location: Memphis, Tennessee
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $68,494
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $71,906
- Acceptance rate: 68%

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#35. Thomas Jefferson University

- Location: Philadelphia
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $68,709
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $73,911
- Acceptance rate: 86%

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#34. Michigan Technological University

- Location: Houghton, Michigan
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $68,856
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $85,800
- Acceptance rate: 88%

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#33. Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health

- Location: Omaha, Nebraska
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $68,985
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $68,740
- Acceptance rate: 88%

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#32. Linfield University

- Location: McMinnville, Oregon
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $69,076
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $83,072
- Acceptance rate: 88%

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#31. Vanguard University of Southern California

- Location: Costa Mesa, California
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $69,240
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $58,441
- Acceptance rate: 65%

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#30. Florida Institute of Technology

- Location: Melbourne, Florida
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $69,606
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $80,275
- Acceptance rate: 63%

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#29. Kettering College

- Location: Kettering, Ohio
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $69,705
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $68,846
- Acceptance rate: 83%

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#28. Lawrence Technological University

- Location: Southfield, Michigan
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $69,831
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $86,111
- Acceptance rate: 80%

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#27. Clarkson College

- Location: Omaha, Nebraska
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $70,580
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $72,890
- Acceptance rate: 64%

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#26. Bryan College of Health Sciences

- Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $71,035
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $71,823
- Acceptance rate: 63%

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#25. Regis University

- Location: Denver
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $71,079
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $72,939
- Acceptance rate: 87%

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#24. Drexel University

- Location: Philadelphia
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $71,209
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,242
- Acceptance rate: 78%

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#23. Mount Saint Mary College

- Location: Newburgh, New York
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $71,264
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $72,592
- Acceptance rate: 82%

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#22. Carolinas College of Health Sciences

- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $71,579
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $65,073
- Acceptance rate: 81%

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#21. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

- Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $71,587
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $86,809
- Acceptance rate: 85%

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#20. Oregon Institute of Technology

- Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $72,025
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $81,249
- Acceptance rate: 92%

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#19. Regis College

- Location: Weston, Massachusetts
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $72,298
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $67,681
- Acceptance rate: 89%

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#18. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

- Location: Rockford, Illinois
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $72,613
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $77,725
- Acceptance rate: 100%

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#17. Capitol Technology University

- Location: Laurel, Maryland
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $72,701
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $113,109
- Acceptance rate: 78%

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#16. Clarkson University

- Location: Potsdam, New York
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $72,875
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,882
- Acceptance rate: 77%

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#15. D'Youville University

- Location: Buffalo, New York
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $72,949
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $74,733
- Acceptance rate: 82%

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#14. Milwaukee School of Engineering

- Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $73,300
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $88,136
- Acceptance rate: 60%

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#13. Massachusetts Maritime Academy

- Location: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $73,306
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $98,832
- Acceptance rate: 95%

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#12. MCPHS University

- Location: Boston
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $74,892
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $84,862
- Acceptance rate: 85%

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#11. Missouri University of Science and Technology

- Location: Rolla, Missouri
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $75,542
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,551
- Acceptance rate: 73%

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#10. Gwynedd Mercy University

- Location: Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $76,811
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $80,331
- Acceptance rate: 94%

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#9. Wentworth Institute of Technology

- Location: Boston
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $77,159
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $94,129
- Acceptance rate: 85%

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#8. University of Providence

- Location: Great Falls, Montana
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $78,414
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $56,274
- Acceptance rate: 64%

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#7. SUNY Maritime College

- Location: Throggs Neck, New York
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $78,584
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $102,795
- Acceptance rate: 79%

Rose‑Hulman Institute of Technology. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#6. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

- Location: Terre Haute, Indiana
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $80,344
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $98,978
- Acceptance rate: 73%

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#5. Kettering University

- Location: Flint, Michigan
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $80,708
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $102,107
- Acceptance rate: 79%

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#4. California State University Maritime Academy

- Location: Vallejo, California
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $82,458
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $108,075
- Acceptance rate: 99%

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#3. Molloy College

- Location: Rockville Centre, New York
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $90,478
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $89,292
- Acceptance rate: 76%

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#2. Maine Maritime Academy

- Location: Castine, Maine
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $93,824
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $107,211
- Acceptance rate: 61%

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#1. University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis

- Location: St. Louis
- Median earnings of alumni one year after attendance: $122,568
- Median earnings of alumni five years after attendance: $141,442
- Acceptance rate: 75%

Data reporting by Wade Zhou.